Digital Commons Network^™

Annotated Legal Bibliography

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

No abstract provided.

The Rise Of E-Patients In Tanzania: Reflections On The Unregulated Growth Of Digital Health Consultations, Kahabi Isangula

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background: Digital technologies have significantly transformed healthcare delivery globally, enabling patients to access healthcare services through electronic and mobile platforms. In Tanzania, this transformation has manifested in the rise of “e-patients” — individuals who actively seek health advice, consultation, or treatment through unregulated digital platforms. This paper examines the drivers, patterns, and implications of this trend in Tanzania.

Methods: A descriptive approach was employed, synthesising peer-reviewed and grey literature from global and sub-Saharan African sources, with a particular focus on Tanzania. Insights were also drawn from expert discussions, public digital platforms, and the author’s experiential reflections to contextualize …

Planning Ahead: A Holistic Approach To End-Of-Life Planning, Kristin Litzelman, Ashley Berghoff, Jennifer Abel, Carol Bralich, Jackie Carattini, Selena Freimark, Jenna Kink, Sara Richie

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

End-of-life planning can be an intimidating, confusing, and emotional process, which may explain why only 37% of Americans have completed advance care directives. To address this need, we developed the Planning AHEAD (Advance directives, Handling financial changes, Estate planning, and Arriving at Decisions for the end of this life) curriculum. Planning AHEAD is a seven-session course designed to help participants make important decisions that reflect their end-of-life wishes and document this information to relieve stress for their loved ones. In the first two years of the program, Extension educators facilitated 45 Planning AHEAD series across Wisconsin, reaching over 600 participants. …

What Do Rural Caregivers Need? Implications Of Formal Service Usage And The Role Of Cooperative Extension Systems, Naomi R. Meinertz, Jeong Eun Lee, Erin L. Martinez, Leacey Brown, Chelsey Byers, Sara Richie, Kathy Tutt

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

The well-being of caregivers in the U.S. is a public health crisis. Caregivers experience greater rates of depression, chronic disease, and social isolation; however, the context of rural and urban living experiences creates different caregiving realities. Using two representative datasets of caregivers in the North Central and Northeast regions of the U.S., this paper examined the experiences of rural and urban caregivers in using formal support services. Rurality was negatively related to formal support service usage. Results from a multiple regression revealed a positive association between formal service utilization and caregiver well-being. These findings suggested that formal services can play …

The Impact Of Cooperative Extension Programs On Late Life Mental Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review, Naomi R. Meinertz, Kate Perepezko, Jeong Eun Lee, Mary E. Dozier Phd

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Rural-dwelling older adults have greater mental health disparities with higher rates of depression and anxiety compared to their urban counterparts; however, reaching these communities to understand and address the specific psychological needs of rural-dwelling older adults remains a barrier for gerontologists. Due to the extensive reach of the Cooperative Extension System, university Extension systems are primed to facilitate connections between researchers and rural communities to improve mental health outcomes for older adults. Despite the potential benefits of such partnerships, Extension is largely unknown and underutilized by gerontological researchers, leaving many older adults disconnected from resources available through land-grant universities that …

A Comprehensive Nutrition Education Program Promotes Behavior Change And Perception Of Food Access Across The Older Adult Age Span, Sarah Misyak, Camille Mcguire, Victor Olayemi, Maria Denunzio, Paige Harrigan, Elena Serrano

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Strategies to promote healthy behaviors among older adults are needed to mitigate vulnerabilities to negative health outcomes, especially for those with low income. Healthy Eating and Staying Active as We Age (HESA), a nine-lesson educational series for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-eligible older adults, was created to promote health among aging audiences. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the behavior change of older adults following participation in HESA, which covers food resource management, nutrition, food safety, and physical activity behaviors, as well as perceived food affordability and accessibility, and to determine if HESA is appropriate across the age span …

Creating Intergenerational Connections: A Multilevel Approach For Enriching Lives And Addressing Vital Community Issues, Matthew S. Kaplan, Nancy Z. Henkin

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This article presents an overview of intergenerational programs and practices as an interdisciplinary field of inquiry and practice that fosters open communication, support, and civic engagement across generations. Numerous examples of how intergenerational programs and practices harness age diversity to improve the human condition are presented. This includes initiatives to promote healthier lifestyles, reduce social isolation and loneliness, strengthen families, enrich education and lifelong learning, enhance community quality of life, and transmit cherished cultural traditions and values. This article highlights Extension’s longstanding contributions to intergenerational programming, showcasing notable examples across program areas and exploring opportunities for deeper engagement, co-leadership, and …

Intergenerational Creative Movement Program: A Social Connection Intervention To Foster Health And Well-Being, Claire M. Reardon, Mohammad Khalilian, Amy F. Kostelic, Susan Thiel, Anthony R. Bardo

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

A sense of connection and belonging is widely recognized to be essential for mental health. Yet, since the COVID-19 pandemic, loneliness, social isolation, and mental health problems have remained elevated across America. Transitions into young adulthood and older age, while distinct, similarly challenge social connectedness, especially among women. Our multi-lesson education program connected first-generation female college students with college-educated forty-plus women to foster belonging and improve mental health. The program integrated dance as a creative physical activity, promoted intergenerational engagement through a humanistic focus on generativity, and used a social network approach to gauge the development of connections among participants …

Volunteerism After Retirement: An Evaluation Of The Give 5 Civic Matchmaking Program, Amber J. Majeske, Claire M. Growney, Tara O. Johnson, Cora Scott, Greg Burris

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Communities are increasingly focused on leveraging the skills and resources of older adults entering retirement to benefit the community and ensure these individuals remain integrated and valued within society. Launched in 2017, the Give 5 “Civic Matchmaking” Program is an award-winning volunteer recruitment program for near-retirees and retirees that matches participants’ skills and interests with meaningful volunteer opportunities. This study examined participants’ mindsets and perceptions of loneliness before the program, as well as their motivations for volunteering and sense of belonging afterward. Overall, participants in Give 5 improved in empathic concern and in recognizing the need to equip those they …

"It Is Always Too Late For Truth:" Surveillance And Masculinity In "Wide Sargasso Sea", Kaz S. Schofield

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

Significant analysis has been done on Jean Rhys’ 1961 novel Wide Sargasso Sea examining gender in relation to the women in the novel, but very little analysis has been conducted on the men. Using the work of Simone Browne, who has theorized how racial categories are maintained through surveillance, I examine how three men in the novel: a white colonist and two mixed race colonial subjects are restricted or otherwise kept docile through their differing masculinity. I argue that it is not only the women in the novel who are oppressed or otherwise disenfranchised by their race and gender, but …

2025 Commencement Program - Fall, Morehead State University. Registrar's Office.

Morehead State Commencement Programs

2025 Fall Commencement program for Morehead State University.

Study Of Parental Substance Use Effects On Children, Cydnee R. Lacy

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

Many children with substance use and mental health problems witness substance use and mental health struggles in their household. Research has shown a strong connection between parental substance use disorders (SUDs) and the likelihood of children engaging in similar behaviors. Existing literature uses data collected before the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas this study utilizes data collected during the pandemic. It is essential to examine whether the relationship between parental substance use and children’s substance use increased, as children spent more time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prevalence of substance use and mental health problems will be used to examine the …

Bridging Education And Practice: The Role Of Academic Ehrs In Developing Nursing Workforce Readiness, Ann Varghese

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

Charting plays a vital role in nursing practice, yet many new graduate nurses find it challenging to master as they learn to document accurately while managing multiple patient care responsibilities. The integration of electronic health record (EHR) training into nursing curricula aims to bridge the gap between education and clinical practice. This study explores whether the use of an academic EHR named "EHR Go" helps prepare nursing students for documenting in real-world clinical settings. A thematic analysis of student feedback on EHR Go was conducted using the Delphi technique and Microsoft Copilot 365. IBM SPSS was then used to compare …

Housing Provision In The United States: How Sustainability Approaches Can Address Homelessness, Kortlynn D. Boddie

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

There are over 771,000 people experiencing homelessness (PEH) in the United States, with job loss and natural disasters threatening to increase this number. This project reviews two possible means of providing affordable housing for PEH: using existing buildings, and Additive Manufacturing or 3D printed housing. Twenty cities in fourteen American states were reviewed for current housing unit vacancy, future planned building-to-housing conversions, and requirements to provide Additive Manufactured housing. The number of PEH found in each city was compared to the number of vacant housing units and planned building conversions. Additive manufacturing was studied through its cost and time efficiency, …

Do Financial Concerns Make Workers Less Productive?, Dua Khowaja

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

Financial stress does not just affect people’s finances; it can change the way individuals behave. This project asks whether short-term financial difficulty damages worker performance or if alleviating it improves focus and accuracy. Using data from a field experiment in rural India, this study examine how labor payment timing variability is related to workers' productivity and error rates. The study randomized payment dates across a sample of employees, so that employees paid early can be compared to employees paid on standard or later dates. It investigates whether subsidy of payments relieves stress and enhances task performance by minimizing stress, enhancing …

Unsafe At Any Speed: "Safe Third Country Agreements" - Offshoring And Eroding Legal Protections Owed To Refugees And Asylum Seekers, Thomas Michael Mcdonnell

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

Part I of this Article analyzes third country agreements and refugee transfer practices of the United States and the European Union. Part II demonstrates that, under international law, all countries are obligated to protect refugees and are prohibited from directly or indirectly sending them to a country where there is a substantial basis for believing that their life or freedom would be threatened. Part II will likewise show that the notion of "safe third country" transfer agreements and practices is often a fallacy, an oxymoron. Instead of keeping refugees safe, such agreements and practices seriously erode the fundamental non-refoulment obligation …

Longitudinal Monitoring Of Particle Counts In The Pfotzer Maximum (2017-2025), Scott Anderson, Jason Benyousky, Walae Dahmany, Tri Duong

Annual Student Research Poster Session

The Balloon Assisted Stratospheric Experiments (BASE) measures atmospheric muons using an array of instruments carried by weather balloons. We seek to spend extended time in the region of highest intensity, the Regener-Pfotzer Maximum (Pfotzer Maximum). The effects of the cosmic ray- induced ionization that comprises the Pfotzer Maximum are relatively unknown and may include cloud formation, precipitation, cyclogenesis, aerosol formation, atmospheric transparency, and more. With Geiger counters, we can measure the secondary particles produced by atmospheric cascades in order to better understand the Pfotzer Maximum and how it changes over time.

Breaking Up Or Bound Together? Unraveling Us-China Economic Interdependence, Vinh Huynh, Guangjun Qu

Annual Student Research Poster Session

This study investigates the extent to which the U.S.-China trade war has altered bilateral trade flows and economic interdependence between the two largest economies in the world. The question at the heart of this research is whether the two countries have truly begun to “decouple” or whether they remain deeply interconnected despite political and economic tensions. Drawing on U.S. and Chinese trade data from multiple official sources, we examine both the scale and persistence of trade disruptions over time. Our analysis extends beyond the pre-pandemic years to include 2020 through 2024, allowing us to distinguish between the trade war’s temporary …

Design And Development Of An Intervention To Improve The Quality And Safety Of Pediatric Dental Sedation: A Human-Centered Design Approach, Kawtar Zouaidi, Jan Yeager, Suhasini Bangar, Sayali Tungare, Urvi Mehta, Janelle Urata, Alfa-Ibrahim Yansane, Thomas Tanbonliong, Jungsoo Kim, Emily Sedlock, Krishna Kumar Kookal, Yan Xiao, Tokede Oluwabunmi, Heiko Spallek, Amy Franklin, Gregory W Olson, Joel White, Elsbeth Kalenderian, Muhammad F Walji

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: There are gaps in understanding the experiences of children, parents, and providers during dental conscious sedation. This study aimed to capture and analyze these experiences to identify opportunities for improvement and enhance the quality and safety of pediatric dental conscious sedation.

Methods: A human-centered design approach was used to examine the conscious sedation experience in 2 US advanced education pediatric dental clinics. Researchers conducted field observations, interviews with providers and parents, and providers focus groups to explore experiential factors. Data were transcribed and analyzed using content thematic analysis. Insights from the data were used to explore and generate new …

Building An Inclusive Ai Chatbot For Diverse Student Communities At Cal Poly: Uplift Ai, Gideon Telahun

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

This research project will investigate the ability of advanced Large Language Models (LLMs) to identify and assess misinformation across diverse forms of media, including text, images, and video. In an age where misleading content spreads rapidly across digital platforms, evaluating the reliability and integrity of AI systems tasked with fact-checking is critical. We will develop a comprehensive dataset composed of factual and misleading examples drawn from various well-known and reliable fact-checking organizations. Each item will be independently reviewed and transparently labeled to ensure reproducibility. We will then prompt a curated group of state-of-the-art LLMs—including GPT-4, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, Grok, and …

Safety-Critical Formation Control Of Non-Holonomic Multi-Robot Systems In Communication-Limited Environments, Logan Beard

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

This project explores advanced methodologies for distributed planning, formation control, and coordination in heterogenous multi-agent robotic systems consisting of small mobile robots and nano unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Leveraging decentralized control theories and optimization techniques, the research aims to develop robust algorithms for real-time collaborative task execution, efficient formation maintenance, and adaptive coordination strategies. Python and ROS will be used extensively to simulate, validate, and experimentally deploy distributed robotics algorithms. The student researcher significantly contributes to the theoretical and practical advancement of multi-agent system technologies.

Multi-Material Printer Development, Jessica Hu, Phoebe Eplett

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Surgeons require pre-surgical models to practice procedures and improve success rates. However, the current process of creating physical models for practice using 3D printing is limited to producing homogeneous mimics of the human body, while the human body is a heterogeneous structure composed of multiple materials with varying properties, including bones, muscles, and skin. Additive manufacturing methods cannot easily print multiple materials simultaneously, as current AM machines only print homogeneous material, unlike the human body. In this proposal, we aim to develop a multi-material additive manufacturing system, from software to hardware, to manufacture pre-surgical models. We will investigate multi-material AM …

Analyzing Wearable Sensor Data From Individuals Undergoing Motor And Neurological Rehabilitation, Carly Smith

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

An ongoing study funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) is focused on developing computational models of rehabilitation for people post-stroke. Stroke affects around 800,000 people per year in the US, and often leaves people with limited motor (movement) and neurological (brain-based) capability. Wearable sensors may allow clinicians to better understand how these individuals recover, and to better design therapies and interventions. We are seeking students who can use existing software, and perhaps adapt the software to extract, analyze, and visualize detail from study participants. This project will involve with the Cal Poly PI, and collaborators from physical therapy. This …

3d Printing Scoliosis Braces, Zak Neddo, Jaylan Mo

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

As 3D printing technology continues to transform the healthcare industry, the need for FDA-compliant additive manufacturing facilities in public universities has become increasingly important. While private companies and medical research institutions have successfully integrated 3D printing for medical device prototyping and surgical planning, public universities—including Cal Poly—lack the dedicated infrastructure needed to support FDA-regulated medical manufacturing and research. This project aims to bridge that gap by researching, designing, and implementing a dedicated FDA-compliant section within Cal Poly’s multi-purpose 3D Printing Facility. Over the course of eight weeks, student researchers will study FDA regulations, design an optimized facility layout, and implement …

Refurbishing And Deploying Oceanographic Equipment, Matthew Moore

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

In this SURP project, a student will help catalog, refurbish, test, and then deploy oceanographic equipment into Morro Bay and nearby coastal regions. In 2024, the Talke lab inherited approximately $300-400k of oceanographic equipment (sticker price) that was originally bought between 2000-2020. Instruments include multiple pressure gauges, velocity instruments, salinity-temperature-turbidity gauges, particle sizers, and a sonar for making bathymetric measurements. Help is needed to check (“talk to”) these instruments, determine which still work, and then field deploy them into the central coast., For some instruments, additional hardware (batteries, cables) and communication adapters may be needed. Because instrument software is often …

Hand-Tracking And Extended Reality Interfa, Alexander Bloomer, Alberto Cornejo

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

This project explores the use of Extended Reality (XR) technologies to enhance human- robot interaction in industrial contexts. Building upon prior research in affective and cognitive state recognition during human-cobot collaboration, this study investigates how natural hand and head gestures, captured through Meta Quest passthrough mode, can be used to communicate human intent to a Universal Robotics e-Series collaborative robot. The XR system provides users with an immersive, real-world visual interface while tracking motion and position in real time. The captured gestures are interpreted through a custom software pipeline that integrates machine learning models and rule-based logic to trigger adaptive …

Evaluating Machine-Learning Models For Drone-Based Image Analysis Of Coastal Ecosystem Dynamics, Katharine Mcdaniel, Pragati Toppo

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Previous work from our group utilized drone-based images and a novel machine learning classification model to quickly and accurately quantify spatial variability in eelgrass in Morro Bay. In this SURP project we aim to develop and evaluate quantifiable estimates of the model’s prediction uncertainty. Our model produces a binary labeling indicating the presence or absence of eelgrass at each pixel. However, internally the model produces a probabilistic output indicating the likelihood of detection at each pixel that we propose to use to produce uncertainty estimates and a confidence interval for the cumulative extent of eelgrass detected. This would allow for …

Surp: Space Robotics Laboratory Lab Manuals And Experiment Development, Connell Crawford

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

This SURP project is focused on the preparation of the lab, experiments, and operation procedures necessary for the proposed equipment in the Space Robotics Lab. As such, the primary goal is to create safety and test documentation that shall be used in the lab. Students selected for this project shall gain a hands-on learn-by-doing with equipment that is intended for teaching and research of a simulated planar space test environment for an air-bearing vehicle test bed to be able to test sensors, actuation and deployment of mechanisms, spacecraft collaboration through closed loop control, as well as experimental propulsion systems.

Characterization Of Zwitterion/Salt Electrolyte Blends For Organic Solid Electrolytes In Lithium-Ion Batteries, Sage Alling, Will Vasser

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Progress toward durable and energy-dense lithium-ion batteries has been hindered by instabilities at electrolyte–electrode interfaces, leading to poor cycling stability, and by safety concerns associated with energy-dense lithium metal anodes. Organic Solid electrolytes (OSEs) can help mitigate these issues; however, OSE conductivity is often limited by sluggish dynamics through rubbery domains. Recent work has suggested that zwitterionic OSEs can self-assemble into superionically conductive domains, permitting decoupling of ion motion and liquid rearrangement timesscales. Although crystalline domains are conventionally detrimental to ion conduction in SPEs, we this work suggests that properly designed semicrystalline OSEs with labile ion–ion interactions and tailored ion …

Motor Subsystem For A Tensegrity-Based Robotic Exoskeleton, Presley Sacavitch, Israel Villegas

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Tensegrity structures are composed of stiff rods and elastic cables suspended in a flexible tension network. In particular, the biotensegrity model proposes that all biological systems exhibit tensegrity-like characteristics across multiple scales, ranging from the cellular level to the musculoskeletal system of tendons, ligaments, and fascia, to the human body as a whole. Compared to the traditional biomechanical models used in exoskeleton design, it can be a more accurate representation of how motion emerges from natural forms, but further work is needed to fully understand the heterarchical nature of human anatomy. This project will focus on developing a powered electrical …